Ribbon winding and reversing mechanism.



- N v H. ELLIS. RIBBON WINDING AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

Patehted Feb. 20, 1 912.

2 sums-SHEET 1 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1910 WITNESSES! I INVENTOR V ATTORNEY H. ELLIS.

RIBBON WINDING AND. REVERSING MECHANISM.

APPL OLTION FILED Nov. 5, 1910. 1,018,176, Patented Feb; 20, 1912.

wmvrssss: INVENTOR %&:% 1 4' ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ,BATENTOFFIOE. 1

,HALCOLM ELLIS, or Essa. cannon, 'nnw'r nnsny.

RIBBON wmnmq AND REVEBSING mncm msrr.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 20, 1912. Application m a- November 5,.1e1o.- Serial in. 590,951.

. To all whom/it concern:

Be it known that I, HALooLi ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, resldmg at East Orange, county of-Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and use-- ful Improvements in Ribbon Winding and Reversing Mechanism, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to ribbon winding and reversing mechanism.

The presentinvention has for its object the provision of a novel winding and revers-' -ing mechanism for the ribbons of typewriters, calculating machines, and the like,

wherein the driving spindles of the reels will. always be posltively driven and the reels or spools will be alternately clutched to their spindles, according to thedirection of travel of the ribbon, the spool or reel on from which the. ribbon is being which the ribbon is winding being positively driven by its spindle and the reel or spool unwound turning idly or loosel onits spindle. These results are obtainedy the employment of a ribbon reel or spool provided with a device which is actuated b crating mechanism of .novel construction which is tripped by such act-ion so that the ribbon reel-or s 001 is engaged with its spindle and positively driven thereby, causspindle.

'lng'the unwound ribbon to begin to wind thereupon, suchaction causing release of the clutch of the other ribbon reel or spool so that the latter willthen turn loosely on its the two reels'or spools are coupled so that they are operated to accomplish the above described results.

In the accompanying drawin s: Figure 1 is a plan view of a complete. rib on winding and reversing mechanism made inaccord- .ance with theresent invention, the spool at the right which has previously-been turni'ng loosely, having justcaused setting of the clutch so that it Wlll imrr ediately rewind the ribbon; Fig. 2, an elevation ofthe left-hand mechanism of Fig. 1, showing the operating means forthe same, whereby both of the' spindles of the reels"; are positively driven without reversal; Fig. 3, a view with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the reels being removed; Fig. 4, a view in elevation of the mechanism at the left: of Fig. 3,

'- arranged. I

disposed screws or pins I25.

he ribbon when. unwound,.or substantially so, which is ten-v sioned at that time, and certain clutch-op-.

Certain, parts of the mechanism of.

BI against the ribbon cup or shell and the frame being in sect-ion; Fig. 5, a vertical section of the vmechanism at the right ofFig. 3 and Fi 6,-a detail of the movable part of the clutcl i: The respective mechanisms are of the same construction and operation,

, The frame which carries the mechanism but are reversely is shown at B48, through which extend the stems I44, screw threaded at their lower endsIand secureliy clamped by the nuts and washers I39 an 731. The upper part of the'stem vI44is of cup shape and provided with, preferably diametrically oppositely This cupshaped head preferably clamps, by the annular flange thereon, Fig. 5, the cup or shell I50, or I51, against a collar or sleeve I32-i'nterposed between said cup and the. frame B48. Onrlooseni'ngthe nut I39, the parts can be readily separated.

Extending upwardly through the stem I44, is a spindle I10, free to turn within said .stemas its bearing. Secured on the reduced screw-threaded lower 'ends' of the spindles I10 by nuts I34 are the respective worm J ournaled gears I42 and I21,.Figs. 2 and 5.

in a bracket 73I, Fig. 4, is-a worm wheel or I pinion I43 on a shaft I22 which shaft carries a ratchet wheel 711. Tl1e worm wheel or pinion I43 meshes with the worm gear I42. Theworm wheels I42 and 421 may be coupled for simultaneous turning by a cross-.

shaft and pinion,.not shown, and the spindles I10 will thus be positively driven atall times, always turning in opposite directions, but each spindle may be turned by its own worm and ratchet wheel without this cross shaft.

Any suitable mechanism may bis-employed for turning theratchet wheel 71I step by step, a convenient form being thatxshown' in Fig. 2 and comprising the rocker-67Ipivby a shaft 3I, retracted by a otally mounted spring 801 and pawl 691 bya spring 811 and'whose movement is limited by carrying on a pivot 23I-a For. instance, in using the inventionv on a which is connected tothe rocker I a stop 241. The shaft 31 and rocker s 671' may be operated in any desired manner.

typewriter, a lever may be secured to shaft;-

depressed, the If the invention is used on, anadding or which the universal bar of the typewriter strikes so that eachtime a key is rockers 671 will .be moved.

. tudinally thereof, as shown by dotted lines- 3101 calculating machine, a lever secured on shaft 31 may be moved fromthe mechanism of the printing section of the-machine. .Two' rockers 671 secured to the same shaft 31 may be employed in connection with independent one'set or each spindle 110, thereby dis.-v

awls 6.91 and ratchet wheels 711,

pensing with. a cross shaftand worms for the worm wheels 14:2 and 421; Other means;

of: movingthe rocker 671 may be employed.

An enlarged part 101 of the spindle is provided with a key-way extending longi- Loose on the part 101 so as to be capable of sliding longitudinally thereon,

is a clutch 141 (Fig. 6) which haspoints 141 at its upper end and is provided with an internal struck-up tongue 1&1 which is 5 received in the key-way 101 so that this clutch is adapted to slide longitudinally of the lenla rgedpart 101 of'the spindle. The

lower end ot thefclutch has an annular ered; 1 i 1' shoulder ifland .there isan annular, shoul-' deror flan-gelonthe'upper end of the said clutch. Loosely surrounding the clutch and confined between the aforesaid shoulders or flanges is a sleeve 401 which is provided with cam slotslOI" rcceiving the ends of the'pins or screws 125. Thesleeve 401 has a flange from. which'depends astud or pin .126. It will be obvious that when the sleeve 401 is turned in one direction, the engagement of vfthe pins 125 with the slots 401* will cause the clutchI ll tobe raised and when said sleeve is turned in the opposite direction, the clutch and sleeve will be low} The clutch revolves continuouslywith the spinclle'IlO-at whatever position it may be disposed in by moving the sleeve 401.

The movement ofthesleeve is accomplished by the lever 15 9;on enact the mechanisms and 160 on the OtlTBIJi'ihG tWO levers being connected byha rod-";1 90usb that they will move together. I The'saidllevers'159 and 160 are pivoted on screws or other" suitable pivots 117 on the cups or shells I50, 151 The rear end of each lever is shaped to engage a pin 15 (Fig. 3) carried by-" the latching arms 161, 162, which are respectively pivoted. on the screws orpivots ll'i and are provided with latching pins 119 serving a purpose hereinafter specified. The latching arms 161, 162, have rollers or bowls 136' on pins 1'18, and said latching arms are act t d. yzs rin 3 h r 0 a e" connected in each instance, to a pawl I63 whichis pivoted on a. pin or" screw .121 on the shell 151,:and carrieszon its free end a" stud. 120 designed to engage with one or the: other of the notches 1100,1101 on the arm of lever 159,160; the" "spring 180 tend- 'ing to throw the stud 120 into one or the other of said-notches. The same arm of lever 159, 160 which has the notehes'IlOO,

I101, is provided with allnotch which enspool is unwound, now appear.

gages the stud or pin 126 on the sleeve or collar 101.. It will, therefore, be apparent that when the levers 159, 160 are moved,

.both of the sleeves 401 are turned and both of the clutches 141 are shifted longitudinally of the spindles 110, the 'arrangementof the parts being such that when one of said clutches 1 11 is raised the other clutch is lowered and the arrangement of the parts is such that the stud 120 will be-in the notch 1100 of one of the levers when the other stud 120 is'in the notch 1101 of the other lever, thus locking the parts in the positions to which. they have been setu 7 Pivoted on the screws or pins 121 are detents 165 of substantially bell-crank shape, one of the arms thereof being provided with a notch adapted to. receive the stud 119 to lock the parts in the position shown at the left-hand side of. Fig. 3; the spring 181 which is coiled around the stud or pin 121, tending to position the detent 165 so that the ment with the stud-119'. i I

Referring to Fig.5, there is secured on spindle 110 so as to be free to revolve thereon aclutch member 140 whose lower edge is provided with numerous serrations or teeth, as is clear from Figs. 4 and 5. The serrations of one clutch 140 are engaged with the points 141 (Fig. 6) ofthe clutch member 1410f that mechanism which is winding a ribbon. 141 of the other ribbon mechanism, the one from which the ribbon is being unwound, arev disengaged. This condition of the .notchedend thereof will snap into engage- The clutches 14:0 and clutches is reversed as the ribbon winds from one reel onto 1 the other. The clutch 140 is held in position on the spindle 110 by a nut 133. Integral with or suitably con nected to the clutch 140 is a cam 155," 156 which is so disposed that it is adapted to co' operate with the bowl 136, as will appear from Fig. 3. Pivoted at 114 to thecam 155, 156, is .a detent'157, 158, which carries a pin 115 (Figs. 1, 3 aud t), the said pin extending both above and below thecam, its lower part passing through a slot 155* in. thecam and in position to press against the arm 16 5 of" the detent 165 for the purpose of re leasing said detent from thelstud I19-which action is, brought about when the: reel or but not otherwise, as will Preferably the, reel-receiidng cup of the nisms heretofore described va partition are'pmounted on the respective-spindles 110. The reels may be of the. ordinary construction-except for the ribbon clamp '16? which is. pivoted to thereel at 167 and is looped jecting part of the. pm 115;? .thatthe cam casing 150 is separated: from the mecha 'at its free end to. receive the upwardly pro- I55, I56, always turns with the reel whetherit is winding up or lettering on the ribbon.

The ribbon clamp I67 is provided with against the flattened surfaces 169*.

points I67 (Fig.4) on its looped end which are engaged with the end of the ribbon. The hub of the reel, between the heads'or flanges thereoffis flattened or cut away, as shown at. I69 v and the. ribbon clamp I67, being curved, when closed completes the 'cir-. ole of. the hub so that the ribbon winds iherearound when it is being Wound onthe spool or reel. This condition is shown in the spool at the left of Fig. 1. The position of the clamp when the ribbon has been'com pletely unwound therefrom is shown-at the right of Fig. 1.. The tension of the ribbon I91 causes theribbon clamp to be pulled outwardly as shown, w hich effects reversalof the winding so that the ribbon which has previously wound on the left-hand.spool,"

will wind on the right-hand spool,as will presently appear. The ribbon travels over antifriction rollers I12 on'brackets- I52, I53, which are secured to the shell' or case 150,151. f

Referring first to Fig.1, the ribbon has. wound on the "left-hand reel and completely unwound from'the right-hand reel, the tension of the ribbon having pulled the ribbon clamp I67 from its normal position of-rest Immediatelyprevious tothe tension of the ribboncausing the ribbon clamp to move outwardly, the latching lever I was in a position more to the left, the stud' I20 lying in the notch. I101 of said ri ht-hand ribbon mechanism, at which time t e end of detent I was engaged with stud I19 and the. end of the lever I60 was againstthe stud or pin I5. The parts were then disposed as shown at the left of- Fig. 3. The clutch I41 of the righthand ribbon'mechanism ofFig. 1 wasthen lowered out of engagement with the clutch I40 and, consequently, the c'ontinuedrotation of spindle I10 of the right-hand ribbon mechanism had no effect onthe cam I56 which was free to swing around as the rlbbon' unwound from the reel, I69. Being compressed by the layers of ribbon wound therearound, the ribbon clamp I67 was pressed flat against the flattened part I69 and, consequently, the lower part of'the pin I15 was not in position to engage the ann I65 of the detent I65 Hence, as the ribbon unreeled from said right-hand reel I69 and wound onto the reel 'IGB there-Was no opera- .tionof the parts of said right-hand reel. On the contrary, the left-hand ribbon mechanism of Figs. '1 and 3 was arranged as shown by the right-hand mechanism of Fig. 3, the stud I20 being in. thenotchIlOO of said left-hand ribbon mechanism and the clutch I40 being engaged by the clutch I41,

' which wasraised ln'to engagementtherewith' by reason of the position of the lever I59.

ment of lever I59 caused pin I15 thereupon released the detent 165 from the stud I19, wher eupon the spring I80 ,sn-a'pped the arm I62 inwardly and such action by means of pin I15v on the arm 162' l and the action of the spring I80 moved the lever I60 to the full line position at the right of Fig. 1, the parts thenbeing in the position shown at the right of Fig. 3'. As soon as this condition prevailed, the clutching of the members I40 and I41 of the right-hand ribbon mechanism caused the spool I69 to be positively turned in the reverse direction from that in which it was previously unreeling the ribbon and the coupling of the levers I59 and I60 by the=rod I90 shifted said lever I59, so that the parts were re stored and latched as shown by the left-hand ribbon mechanism of Fig.- 3.- This movethe clutch I41 of the left-hand ribbon mechanism, and hence the left-hand reel I68, Fig. 1., became loose on its spindle I10, and the ribbon then unwound from said left-hand spool onto the right-hand spool. The cams I55 and I56 restore the latching arms I61 and I62 to the position shown at the left of Fig. '3, when the reel of the given latching arm begins to wind up the ribbon. Thus, the ribbon will wind from one spool onto the other andautomatically reverse, the spindles always positively turn mol one reel be clutched to its spindlewl. loose on its spindle. I Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by the other is Letters Patent, is

1. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with ribbon reels or spools, of driving devices for the respective spools each of which is arranged toalways'rotate in thesame direction, means for engaging the'respective reels with said driving devices, an operative connection be tween said engaging means of the respective, spools, whereby when one spool is engaged with its driving device the other is disen- 'gaged-from its owndriving device, shiftable ribbon attaching devices carried by the the lowering of' ribbon reels, and. means operated by the movement of the ribbon attaching devices on the unwinding 'of.'the ribbon for reversing the condition of .the engaging'devices aforesaid at predetermined times.

2. In Qaribbon winding andreversing means for turningsa-id spindles, ribbon reels loosely mounted on the spindles; clutches for engaging the'respective reels with their spin spective clutches arranged S0. that'when one,

mechanism, theggombination of spindles,

of the reels is clutched to its spindle, the

other reel is loose onits spindle, and shiftable ribbon attaching devices carried by the z engagmg the respective reels with their spin- ,reels or spools,

dles so that they will be driven thereby, operatively connected shifters for the respective clutches arranged sothat when one of the reels is clutched to its spindle,'the other reel is loose on its spindle, and movable ribbon clamps securing the ribbon to the respective reels-which are arranged to effect reversal of the condition of the res ective clutches when the ribbon-isunwoun 4;.In a ribbon winding and reyersing mechanism, the combination of spindles,

means for turning said spindles, ribbon reels loosely mounted on the spindles, clutches for engaging the respective reels with their spindles so that they will be driven thereby, operatively connected shifters for the respective clutches arranged so that when one of the reels is clutched to its spindle, the other reel-is loose on its spindle, and-ribbon clamps pivoted tonthe respective reels and connecting the ribbon to said reels, said clamps being 'cotiperatively related to the clutch-shifting means and adapted to effect reversal of the condition of the clutches when the'ribbon is unwound.

5. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with ribbon of d'riving devices for the respective. spools each of which is arranged to always rotate in the same directiom'a spring-actuated tripablesnap mechanism for each of the reels adapted for engaging the reel with its driving device .when-released, an operative connection between said spring-actuated snap mechanisms of the respective spools whereby when .one spool is engaged with its driving device the other is disengaged from its own driving device, and means operated by the "ribbon for setting one of the snap mechanisms aforesaid and releasing the other of them.

'6. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination of spindles, means for turning said spindles, ribbon reels loosely mounted on the spindles, clutches for engaging .the respective reels with their spindles so that they will be driven thereby,

operatively connected shifters-for the respective clutches arrangedso that when one .of the reels is clutched to its "spindle the other reel is loose on its spindle,-;spring= actuated tripable snap mechanisms for the respective shifters one of which is set and the other tripped at the same time, and

operating said snap mechanisms.

7. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination. with a ribbon reelor spool, of a driving device therefor,

parts, a spring-actuated latching arm adapted,when released, to shift the member afore:

means for engaging the driving device with the s 001 or reel so that the latter will ro-' tatet erewith, a movable member for effecting the engagement and release of the said said, a detent or trip adapted to be engaged 3 table with the reel or spool, and a releasing member adapted to disengage the trip or detent from the latching membertopermit the latter to shift the movable .member' aforesaid. v

' 8. In a ribbon [winding and reversing .mechanism, the combination with .a ribbon reel .or spool, of a driving device therefor,

the latching arm aforsaid, a restoring" device for the latching arm which is rota- I means-for engaging the driving device with v the spool or reel so that the latter will. ro-

-tate therewith, a movable member for effect-v ing the engagement and release of'thesaid parts, a spring-actuated latching arm adapted, when released, to shift the member aforesaid, a detent or trip adapted to be engaged bythe latching arm aforesaid, a restoring device for the latching arm which is rotatable with the reel or spool, a movable member on the spoolor reel which is arranged, to be shifted by the ribbon which is adapted, when shifted, to release the detent from the latching arm. I

9. In a ribbon'winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a' ribbon reel or spool, of a driving device therefor, means for engaging the drivingdevice with the spool or reel so that the latter will ro tate therewith, a-inov'able member for effecting theengagement and release of the said parts, a springactuated latching armadapted,- when released, to'shift the member aforesaid, a detent or trip adapted to be engaged by the latching arm aforesaid, a'

ated by the movement of the ribbon adapted to shift the said releasable member to disengage the detent fromthe latching arm.

10. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a ribbon 1 reel or spool, of a driving device therefor, a clutch adapted for engaging the driving device and reel. or spool, a spring-snap tripable mechanism for shifting the clutch, and means operated by the movement of the ribbon adapted to trip said spring-snap mechanism. J

11. In a ribbon wind ng and reversmg mechanism, the combination with a r bbon reel or spool, of a driving device therefor, a clutch adapted for engaging the driving device and reel or spool, a snap-acting tripable. mechanism for shifting the clutch,

means operated by the movement of the ribbon adapted to trip said snap mechanism, and a restoring device operated bythe movement of the reel or spool adapted to reset said snap mechanism.

12. .In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a ribbon reel or spool, of a driving spindle, a clutch for engaging the reel or spool with the spindle so that it will be driven thereby, a

clutch shifter, a' spring actuated latching arm adapted to cooperate with the clutch shifter, a detent or tri for holding the latching arm in set positlon, a cam movable with the reel or spool adapted for restoring the arm -to normal position, areleasing member carried by the cam adapted to disengage thedetent from the arm, and a movable device on the reel which is adapted to move the releasing device and is. itself adapted to be shifted by the movement of the ribbon on the reel to thereby cause release of the Qopies of this patent may be obtained-for detent and snap operation of the clutch shifter. v 13. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, a ribbon spool, a ribbon clamp mounted in said spool on pivots eccentrically placed whereby'the clamp may. swing outward from the hub thereof, a constantly,

.spool, and meansfor driving the spool, the

engagement of said driving means with the spool being controlled by the ribbon clamp. In testimony whereof, I hereunto aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HALOOLM ELLIS.-

Witnesses W. C. DOUGLAS, ISABEL NICHOLSON.

five ce'nts .each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). O 

